Chemistry & Biochemistry
Student Research

The Chemistry & Biochemistry Department provides many student research opportunities, below are some student research experiences in Chemistry & Biochemistry from the last 24 months.

New Research Experiences: Spring 2024 Hailey Maurer. Antimicrobial Compound screening. Research Mentor(s): Gregory Caputo. Undergrad, Academic Research. Maxine Marano. Antimicrobial Compound Screening . Research Mentor(s): Gregory Caputo, James Grinias. Undergrad, Academic Research. Riley Barry, Emily Mounas, Vidhi Pandya. Azurin Stability and Denaturation . Research Mentor(s): Gregory Caputo. Undergrad, Academic Research. Fall 2023 Tajrian Khan, Soumya Rednam. Antibiotic Ion Pairing. Research Mentor(s): Lark Perez. Undergrad, Academic Research. Krishna Paul. Antibiotic Ion Pairing. Research Mentor(s): Lark Perez. Grad, Academic Research. Hailey Maurer. Antimicrobial Compound screening. Research Mentor(s): Gregory Caputo. Undergrad, Academic Research. Riley Barry. Azurin Stability and Denaturation. Research Mentor(s): Gregory Caputo. Undergrad, Academic Research. Ibrahim Gocmez. Bacterial Biofilms. Research Mentor(s): Lark Perez. Undergrad, Academic Research. Michael DiSanto. Bioluminescent Photoredox. Research Mentor(s): Lark Perez. Grad, Academic Research. Zachary Rosenzweig. Pulsed Electric Field. Research Mentor(s): Lark Perez, Gary Thompson. Grad, Academic Research. Summer 2023 Anthony Marinelli. Research Mentor(s): Jack Myers. Undergrad, Community Based Research. Ameer Smith-Bird. Aryl sulfonates. Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Undergrad, Academic Research. Bamidele Towolawi. Computational Design of Foldamer for Protein-Foldamer Binding. Research Mentor(s): Zhiwei Liu. Grad, Academic Research. Zachary Rosenzweig. Pulsed Electric Field. Research Mentor(s): Lark Perez, Gary Thompson. Grad, Academic Research. Spring 2023 Zachary Coren. Amidyl radicals. Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Undergrad, Academic Research. Candice Bui-Linh. Anti-cancer discovery. Research Mentor(s): Chun Wu. Undergrad, Academic Research. Annie Tran. Anti-cancer discovery. Research Mentor(s): Chun Wu. Grad, Academic Research. Rachel Cerrate, Hailey Maurer, Georgina Vasquez-guzman. Antibacterial effects of Ionic liquids. Research Mentor(s): Gregory Caputo. Undergrad, Academic Research. Soumya Rednam. Antibiotic Ion Pairing. Research Mentor(s): Lark Perez. Undergrad, Academic Research. Daniel Ammerman, Sarah Riley. Antifungal Effects of Ionic Liquids. Research Mentor(s): Gregory Caputo. Undergrad, Academic Research. Sophia Ginet. Assessment of Biomarker Reactivity . Research Mentor(s): Gregory Caputo. Undergrad, Academic Research. Aashna Jonnalagadda. Biomarker Peptides. Research Mentor(s): Gregory Caputo. Undergrad, Academic Research. Mia Zambrana. Computer Aided Design of Protein Binding Foldamer. Research Mentor(s): Zhiwei Liu. Undergrad, Academic Research. Miguel Vera. Cyclic Carbamates. Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Undergrad, Academic Research. Alicia Petrany. Developement of Kinase inhibitor. Research Mentor(s): Chun Wu. Undergrad, Academic Research. Michael Wildy. DOX Drug Delivery . Research Mentor(s): Ping Lu. Grad, Academic Research. Justin Carbone. Drug discovery on RdRP. Research Mentor(s): Chun Wu. Grad, Academic Research. Jesse Na. Electron Correlation Effects in Molecular RNA Sensors. Research Mentor(s): Erik Hoy. Undergrad, Academic Research. Iman Zahra Moosvi, Jasmine Mott, Amber Mott. Evoluation of SARS-COV-2. Research Mentor(s): Chun Wu. Undergrad, Academic Research. Nicholas Paradis. Evoluation of SARS-COV-2. Research Mentor(s): Chun Wu. Grad, Academic Research. Kale Kroenke. Optimizing Molecular Junctions. Research Mentor(s): Erik Hoy. Undergrad, Academic Research. Prudence Lomas. Optimizing p2-RDM Ionization Energies. Research Mentor(s): Erik Hoy. Undergrad, Academic Research. Kasmier Vicioso. Photo Deprotection of Tosylates. Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Grad, Academic Research. Riley Barry, Aashna Jonnalagadda, Ramzy Malak, Emily Mounas, Vidhi Pandya, Victoria Tagliaferro. Protein Stability with Ionic Liquids . Research Mentor(s): Gregory Caputo. Undergrad, Academic Research. Zachary Rosenzweig. Pulsed Electric Field. Research Mentor(s): Lark Perez, Gary Thompson. Grad, Academic Research. Julia Gabriel. Quantum chemistry of organic reactions: Keto-Enol Tautomerization. Research Mentor(s): Erik Hoy. Grad, Academic Research. Jamie Clapp. Self-consistent Multiconfiguration NEGF Algorithm Development. Research Mentor(s): Erik Hoy. Grad, Academic Research. Mariya Hryb. study on CAR-T. Research Mentor(s): Chun Wu. Grad, Academic Research. Anita Sandra Nkwenti, Ameer Smith-Bird. Synthesis of aryl tosylates. Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Undergrad, Academic Research. John Schossig. Synthesis of Monometallic and Bimetallic Nanofiber Catalysts for CO2 Coversion. Research Mentor(s): Ping Lu. Grad, Academic Research. Wanying Wei. Synthesis of ZIF-8. Research Mentor(s): Ping Lu. Grad, Academic Research. Bethel Bichay. Towards the Synthesis of Vancomycin Derivatives. Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Undergrad, Academic Research. Anna Boddy. Using Metal Alloys for Electrocatalysis and Glucose Sensing. Research Mentor(s): Erik Hoy. Grad, Academic Research. Autumn Vossler. Vancomycin Heptapeptide and Derivatives. Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Grad, Academic Research. Ashley Wimbish. Vancomycin Heptapeptides and derivatives. Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Undergrad, Academic Research. Fall 2022 Brandon Zagorski. Amidyl Radical. Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Undergrad, Academic Research. Zachary Coren, Senei Underdue. Amidyl radicals. Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Undergrad, Academic Research. Andrew Stocklin. anti-cancer development. Research Mentor(s): Chun Wu. Undergrad, Academic Research. Drashti Hareshbhai Gedia. anti-cancer development. Research Mentor(s): Chun Wu. Grad, Academic Research. Candice Bui-Linh. Anti-cancer drug development . Research Mentor(s): Chun Wu. Undergrad, Academic Research. Nishtha Patel. anti-cancer drug development. Research Mentor(s): Chun Wu. Grad, Academic Research. Annie Tran. Anti-cancer drug discovery. Research Mentor(s): Chun Wu. Grad, Academic Research. Kasmier Vicioso. Aryl Tosylates as Aryl Radical Precursors. Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Grad, Academic Research. Sean Simmons. Aryl Tosylates as Benzofuran Precursors. Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Undergrad, Academic Research. Jonathan Santoro. Aryl Tosylates as Radical Precursors. Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Undergrad, Academic Research. Joeachin Obasi. Automated Derivatization Development. Research Mentor(s): James Grinias. Grad, Academic Research. Carina Davis, Stheisy Dela Cruz, Drew Kwitchoff, Giana Maltese, Claudia Medina. Behavioral pharmacology of novel medications. Research Mentor(s): Thomas Keck. Undergrad, Academic Research. Shakil Ahmed, Danya Aldaghma, Pintu Miah, Rohit Nambiar. Behavioral pharmacology of novel medications. Research Mentor(s): Thomas Keck. Grad, Academic Research. Aashna Jonnalagadda, Victoria Tagliaferro. Biomarker Peptides. Research Mentor(s): Gregory Caputo. Undergrad, Academic Research. Benjamin Libert. Biopharmaceutical Analysis. Research Mentor(s): James Grinias. Grad, Academic Research. Theodore Graves. Chemical Methodologies for the Functionalization of Natural Products. Research Mentor(s): Subash Jonnalagadda. Undergrad, Academic Research. Yitao Shen. Cheminformatics portal. Research Mentor(s): Hao Zhu. Grad, Academic Research. Leah Notarfrancesco. Chromatographic Application Development. Research Mentor(s): James Grinias. Undergrad, Academic Research. Josh Rivkind. CO2 Electrocatalysis. Research Mentor(s): Erik Hoy. Undergrad, Academic Research. Jared Briley. Computer aided design of protein binding foldamer. Research Mentor(s): Zhiwei Liu. Undergrad, Academic Research. Edith Kreuzer. Cyclic Carbamates. Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Undergrad, Academic Research. Samuel Foster. Development of Dual Electrospray Ionization Source with In-Line Absorbance-Based Voltage Control. Research Mentor(s): James Grinias. Grad, Academic Research. Von Suskil Max. Development of Salinomycin Conjugates as Anti-Cancer Agents. Research Mentor(s): Subash Jonnalagadda. Grad, Academic Research. Emilio Roman-Flores. DNA drug interactions. Research Mentor(s): Amos Mugweru. Grad, Academic Research. Bryant Wang. Dopamine D2-like receptor drug discovery. Research Mentor(s): Thomas Keck. Undergrad, Academic Research. Michael Wildy. DOX Drug Delivery . Research Mentor(s): Ping Lu. Grad, Academic Research. Justin Carbone. Drug discovery on RdRP. Research Mentor(s): Chun Wu. Grad, Academic Research. Michael Wildy. EC ES Optimization . Research Mentor(s): Ping Lu. Grad, Academic Research. Michael Wildy. EC/RhB/LA-SA Drug Delivery . Research Mentor(s): Ping Lu. Grad, Academic Research. Pranaya Chakravarthul. Electrochemical detection of opioids using molecularly imprimted electrodes. Research Mentor(s): Amos Mugweru. Grad, Academic Research. Yugita Khemraj. Electrochemical molecular imprinting. Research Mentor(s): Amos Mugweru. Undergrad, Academic Research. Matthew Mossbrucker. Electrochemistry and Chromatography. Research Mentor(s): Lei Yu. Undergrad, Academic Research. Jesse Na. Electron Correlation Effects in Molecular RNA Sensors. Research Mentor(s): Erik Hoy. Undergrad, Academic Research. Darrian Banks. Ethanolamine. Research Mentor(s): Lark Perez. Undergrad, Academic Research. Nicholas Paradis. Evoluation of SARS-COV-2. Research Mentor(s): Chun Wu. Grad, Academic Research. Michael Wildy. Fabrication of Ethyl Cellulose Nanofibers for Drug Delivery. Research Mentor(s): Ping Lu. Grad, Academic Research. Kyle Fennimore. folding studies of myoglobin under confinement. Research Mentor(s): Nathaniel Nucci. Undergrad, Academic Research. Umali Patel. Gambogic Acid Analogs As Anti-Cancer Agents. Research Mentor(s): Subash Jonnalagadda. Undergrad, Academic Research. Kyle Mashas. Investigation of miniLC. Research Mentor(s): James Grinias. Undergrad, Academic Research. Nathaniel Phillips. Investigation of Structure and Properties of oxides.. Research Mentor(s): Kandalam Ramanujachary. Undergrad, Academic Research. Brandon Burrell. Ionic Liquid Interactions. Research Mentor(s): Timothy Vaden. Undergrad, Academic Research. Daniel Ammerman. Ionic Liquids as Antifungals. Research Mentor(s): Gregory Caputo. Undergrad, Academic Research. Anthony Lopez. Making Nanofibers for Drug Delivery. Research Mentor(s): Ping Lu. Undergrad, Academic Research. Dylan Winkens. Microfluidic Platform Development. Research Mentor(s): James Grinias. Undergrad, Academic Research. Aparanjitha Eluri. Molecular Dynamics Simulations . Research Mentor(s): Zhiwei Liu. Grad, Academic Research. Martha Gomez, Maria Grzybowski. Molecular Imprinting. Research Mentor(s): Amos Mugweru. Undergrad, Academic Research. Kwame Kyem Aggrey. MOLECULAR TRANSPORT IN NANOELECTRONICS. Research Mentor(s): Erik Hoy. Undergrad, Academic Research. Austin Clark, Achismita Dutta. MS research student. Research Mentor(s): Timothy Vaden. Grad, Academic Research. Anna Boddy. Non-Noble Metal Electrocatalysis. Research Mentor(s): Erik Hoy. Grad, Academic Research. Ryan Gluchowski. Novel Small Molecules as Anti-Cancer Agents. Research Mentor(s): Subash Jonnalagadda. Undergrad, Academic Research. Jenna Doran, Brendon Jackson, Stephen Jefferson, Michael Mullen, Jiovanni Pallante, Alicia Petrany, Morgan Rossi, Termen Singh. Organic Synthesis. Research Mentor(s): Gustavo Moura. Undergrad, Academic Research. Erin Doran, Robert Milner, Dominic Rivera, Richa Signh, Himanshi Avdeshkumar Verma. Organic Synthesis. Research Mentor(s): Gustavo Moura. Grad, Academic Research. Michael DiSanto, Daniel Palacio. Photoredox. Research Mentor(s): Lark Perez. Grad, Academic Research. Sangeeta Kurre. Portable LC Method Development. Research Mentor(s): James Grinias. Grad, Academic Research. Kai Xu. Preparation of Silk Nanofiber for Drug Delivery. Research Mentor(s): Ping Lu. Grad, Academic Research. Riley Barry, Vidhi Pandya. Protein denaturing with ionic liquids. Research Mentor(s): Gregory Caputo. Undergrad, Academic Research. Aashna Jonnalagadda, Emily Mounas, Victoria Tagliaferro. Protein Stability with Ionic Liquids. Research Mentor(s): Gregory Caputo. Undergrad, Academic Research. Zachary Rosenzweig. Pulsed Electric Field. Research Mentor(s): Lark Perez, Gary Thompson. Grad, Academic Research. Julia Gabriel. Quantum chemistry of organic reactions: Keto-Enol Tautomerization. Research Mentor(s): Erik Hoy. Grad, Academic Research. Julia Gabriel. Quantum chemistry: Depolymerization of RAFT agents. Research Mentor(s): Erik Hoy. Grad, Academic Research. Bryana Fofie. RAFT Agent Enhanced Polymer Decomposition. Research Mentor(s): Erik Hoy. Undergrad, Academic Research. Duc Nguyen. Regulation Mechanism of RAF Kinases. Research Mentor(s): Zhihong Wang. Undergrad, Academic Research. Michaela Donnelly, Melanie Rodgers. Research student. Research Mentor(s): Timothy Vaden. Undergrad, Academic Research. Christopher Piccolo. Research Title`. Research Mentor(s): James Grinias. Grad, Academic Research. John Boughton. SFC. Research Mentor(s): James Grinias. Undergrad, Academic Research. Christopher Hauske. Spectroscopic Identification of Compounds. Research Mentor(s): James Grinias. Undergrad, Academic Research. Mariya Hryb. study on CAR-T. Research Mentor(s): Chun Wu. Grad, Academic Research. Samee Khan. Synthesis and purification of a fluoro sulfone (Vancomycin). Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Undergrad, Academic Research. Kevin Arizapana. Synthesis of bimetallic catalysts. Research Mentor(s): Ping Lu. Undergrad, Academic Research. Sabrina Priya. Synthesis of Gambogic Acid Analogs. Research Mentor(s): Subash Jonnalagadda. Grad, Academic Research. Pavan Goud Juluri, Stephen Osei. Synthesis of Heterocyclic Compounds . Research Mentor(s): Subash Jonnalagadda. Grad, Academic Research. John Schossig. Synthesis of Monometallic and Bimetallic Nanofiber Catalysts for CO2 Coversion. Research Mentor(s): Ping Lu. Grad, Academic Research. Jacob Mara. Synthesis of Salinomycin Analogs. Research Mentor(s): Subash Jonnalagadda. Grad, Academic Research. Michael Alturk. Synthesis of Small Molecules as Anti-Cancer Agents. Research Mentor(s): Subash Jonnalagadda. Undergrad, Academic Research. Alexis Bensley. Synthesis of ZIF-8 for Drug Delivery. Research Mentor(s): Ping Lu. Undergrad, Academic Research. Wanying Wei. Synthesis of ZIF-8 for Drug Delivery. Research Mentor(s): Ping Lu. Grad, Academic Research. Nadia Afrin. Testing side effects of MP-III-024/ Morphine co-administration. Research Mentor(s): Thomas Keck. Grad, Academic Research. Carleigh Burns. The Rising Resistance: Towards The Vancomycin Linear Heptapeptide. Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Undergrad, Academic Research. Matthew Conway. Towards the Synthesis of the Vancomycin Tetrapeptide. Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Undergrad, Academic Research. Bethel Bichay. Towards the Synthesis of Vancomycin Tetrapeptide. Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Undergrad, Academic Research. Alexis Zimmer. van Deemter Study of Compact LC . Research Mentor(s): James Grinias. Undergrad, Academic Research. Harley Rosenzweig. Vancomycin Derivatives - Tyrosine units. Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Undergrad, Academic Research. Autumn Vossler. Vancomycin Heptapeptide and Derivatives. Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Grad, Academic Research. Ashley Wimbish. Vancomycin Heptapeptides and derivatives. Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Undergrad, Academic Research. Summer 2022 Candice Bui-Linh. Anti-cancer drug development. Research Mentor(s): Chun Wu. Undergrad, Academic Research. Daniel Ammerman. Antimicrobial Efficacy of CuO Coated Surfaces. Research Mentor(s): Gregory Caputo. Undergrad, Industry Based Research. Jesse Na. antiviral molecules. Research Mentor(s): Claude Krummenacher. Undergrad, Academic Research. Jonathan Santoro. Aryl Triflates as Radical Precursors. Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Undergrad, Academic Research. Bryant Wang. Computer-Aided Design of Diubiquitin-binding Foldamers. Research Mentor(s): Zhiwei Liu. Undergrad, Academic Research. Samuel Foster. Considerations for Column Selection in Compact Capillary LC. Research Mentor(s): James Grinias. Grad, Academic Research. Edith Kreuzer. Cyclic Carbamates. Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Undergrad, Academic Research. Michael Wildy. EC/RhB/LA-SA Drug Delivery . Research Mentor(s): Ping Lu. Grad, Academic Research. Brandon Burrell. Ionic Liquid Interactions. Research Mentor(s): Timothy Vaden. Undergrad, Academic Research. Daniel Ammerman. Ionic Liquids As Antifungals. Research Mentor(s): Gregory Caputo. Undergrad, Academic Research. Kwame Kyem Aggrey. MOLECULAR TRANSPORT IN NANOELECTRONICS. Research Mentor(s): Erik Hoy. Undergrad, Academic Research. Daniel Ammerman. Multiuse Vial Cap for Antimicrobial Efficacy. Research Mentor(s): Gregory Caputo. Undergrad, Academic Research. Shajib Jabadul. Predicting Mechanoluminescent Emission in Substituted N-Alkyl Carbazoles . Research Mentor(s): Erik Hoy. Undergrad, Academic Research. Victoria Tagliaferro. Protein stability with ionic Liquids . Research Mentor(s): Gregory Caputo. Undergrad, Academic Research. Gabriella DeStefano. Proteins and ionic liquids. Research Mentor(s): Timothy Vaden. Undergrad, Academic Research. Julia Gabriel. Quantum chemistry of organic reactions: Keto-Enol Tautomerization. Research Mentor(s): Erik Hoy. Grad, Academic Research. Julia Gabriel. Quantum chemistry: Depolymerization of RAFT agents. Research Mentor(s): Erik Hoy. Grad, Academic Research. Matthew Conway. Towards the Synthesis of the Vancomycin Tetrapeptide. Research Mentor(s): Rashanique Quarels. Undergrad, Academic Research.